Folding crate.



R. L. PIOKERING.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1911.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 N gm w #7 f I mutoz' O ,31 a? 615 R. L. PIGKERING.

FOLDING CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1911.

1,040,403, Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

11/11/1111 III/[III 1 awvmboz RL. B2276 crin witwgoom mm 0 i fljam- 8% WW1 TE s'ras ra'r RUBEN L. PICKERING, 0F FALLING SPRING, WEST VIRGINIA.

FOLDING CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ()ct. 8,1912.

Application filed June 29, 1911. Serial No. 636,080.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUBEN L. PICKERING, citizen of the United States, residing at Falling Spring, in the county of Greenbrier and .State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates, and has for its object to improve the construction and increase the efficiency and utility of devices of this character. Q

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character constructed entirely of sheet metal and provided with a detachable closure having a novel form of fastening device whereby the cover is simultaneou'sly locked to the sides and ends in open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having novel means whereby the cover is looked to the when . sides and ends ,when folded.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device 'of this character whereby the sides and ends are foldable into close relations without decreasing the capacity of the structure.

With these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in

which:

the construction of the rim of the cover an the guard member. A

The im roved device is constructed principally 0 sheet metal, and of any required size and of any required proportions, and

comprises a bottom 10 having upturned sides l1l2 and u turned ends 1314:, the upturned sides an ends forming rib-like portions as shown. One of the side ribs is of less height than the other, as for instance, the side rib 11, while the end ribs 13-'-14 are of less height than the side rib 11, the object to be hereafter explained.

The improved device includes two side members 15--16 and two end members 17-18. The side member 15 is hingedly united as shown at 19,to the rib 11, while the side 16 is hingedly united as shown at 20, to the rib 12. The end 17 is hingedly united as shown at 21, to the rib 13, while the end 18 is hingedly united as shown at 22, to the rib 14. By this arrangement the ends 17-18 are foldable into close relations to the bottom 10, while the side 15 is foldable over the folded ends, and the side 16 foldable over the folded side 15, the greater height of the, rib 12 permitting the parts to be folded into close parallel relations, as will be obvious.

An intermediate partition is provided in the improved structure and is indicated at 23, and is hingedly united as shown at 24, to the bottom 10. The sides Iii-16 are each provided at their edges with a binding wire represented at 25 arranged in a novel manner, and utilized to support the sockets at the ends of the sides, but as these binding wires are arranged precisely alike upon both of the sides the description of one will suffice for both. The material employed for the sides is greater in length than the bottom 10 and the binding wires are extended along the outer edge and around the ends of each side and are united in the usual manner thereto by rolling the metal around the wire.

The surplus'material in the sides at the ends before mentioned, is utilized to form sockets to receive the side edges of the ends 17-18, the sockets being formed by bending a portion of the metal upon itself as represented at 26, and then bending the remaining portion of the sides into parallel relations with the bent portion 26, as represented at 27, the space between the portions-26-27 forming sockets which engage over the adjacent side edges of the ends 17-18 as represented in Fig. 5. The contiguous edges of the sides 1516 and the ribs 11- 12 are formed with interengaging notches, the metal between the notches being bent around the binding wire 25 and thus forming hinges 55 sented as a whole at 40 and is'formed with at the corners of the bottom by corner plates 29 secured preferably by riveting, as shown. The sides 1516 are provided at intervals intermediate their ends, or at the point where the partition 23 is located, with slits or clefts 30, and strips 31 of sheet metal are woven through the slits to form sockets to receive'the laterally turned edges 32 of the partition 23. B this simple means the partition is retaine in its vertical position. At

' their upper endsthe strips 31' are folded over the upper wired'edges of the sides, as shown. 1

- Extending beneath the bottom 10 and r1veted or otherwise secured thereto, are strips- 33 of strap metal, the strips extending beyond the bottom, and the extended portions at 34. The extended porupturned as shown extended tions are of sufficient length when to project above the ribs 13-14 and are provided preferably with channels 35 to bear I l 36 to receivethe locking bolt when the crate over the projecting portions of the hinges which unite the end ribs 17-48 to the end ribs 13-14. At their upper ends the projections 34 are each provided with an aperture iscollapsed as hereafter explained.

, The artition 23 is formed at its lower edge with a plurality of tongueswhich are folded around a wire which serves as a hinge 1 pintle 3-7, and the bottom 10 is provided with cavities 38 corresponding in number and positionwith the spaces between'the tongues of the partition. Each of the cavities 38 is .provided with a holding strip 39'bent upon itself and engaged around the pintle wire and the sides extended through the apertures and separated beneath the bottom 10 ort'clenched against the bottom to form coupling means between the pintle and the bottom, and thus hingedly uniting the partition to the bottom.

The top of the improved crate'is reprean upturned folded-over rim 41 corresponding in outline to the sides and ends and bearing over the upper edges of the same so that the top 40 extends below the upper edges of the sides and ends when in position thereon,

as shown.- The outer portions of the foldedover rim of the top are extended at an outward and downward incline as representedat 42, and thence turned inwardly in a horizontal position as shown at 43, and provided at the inner ed e with a binding wire '44. At the ends the olded-over rim of the top is extended outwardly to a greater extent than at the sides as represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, the object to be hereafter explained.

Mounted to slide upon the upper face of the cover 40, is a plate 47, this plate having its edges upturned as shown at 4.8,and bearing upon the plate 47 is another plate 49 slight-1y narrower than the plate 47, and engagingbetween the upturned edges 48. By

this means the two plates are movable longitudinally-and retained in parallel relations by the upturned edges 48 which serve as guideways between the two plates. The plate 47 is forked at one end as shown at 50 while the plate'49 is likewise forked at one end,as shown at 51, the'two forked portions being located at opposite ends of the cover. The terminals of the forked portion 50 are arranged .to operate through apertures formed in the elevated rib 41 of the cover at one end, and likewise through corresponding apertures in the end 18, while the terminals of the forked portion 51 operate through similar apertures in the turned-over rim 41 at the opposite end of the cover, and likewise throu h corresponding apertures in the end 17 y this arrangement .when the plate. 47-49 are moved outwardly or in opposite directions, the forked terminals serve" as bolts to lock the cover 40 to the ends 17-18, and when the plates are moved inwardly, the forked terminals are withdrawn and elease the cover. Pivoted at 52 to thecover 40, and within theforked portion 51, is an operating lever 53, the

lever being pivoted at 54 to the plate 47, and at 55 to one of the forked por-.

At its outertions 51 of the' late 49. free end the lever is upturned as shown at 56, and provided with an aperture, while the adjacent portion of the upturned rim 41 of the cover is provided with a corresponding' aperture, the two apertures registering when the lever is in its outer position to provide means for receiving the hasp of a padlock or other fastening device. By this arrangement it will be obvious that by manipulating the lever 53, the two plates 47-49 may be actuated to lock the cover to the ends or to unlock it therefrom. 'This' forms a simple means for manipulating the locking plates and is compact and simple.

Bearing over the plates 47-49 and including the'forked ortions, is a guard 57, the guard conformlng centrally in outline to the superimposed portions of-theplates and enlarged at the ends to conform substantially to the forked portions, and with downturned edges bearing against the body of the top and riveted or otherwise secured thereto. At its ends the guard 57 is bent around the end portions of. the upturned rim 41 of the top and beneath the same, as

shown. By this means relativel large projections are formed at the en s and thus provide eificient hand-grips to facilitate the handling of the device. The guard 57 is preferably formed of sheet metal considerably heavier than. the metal of which the top and other parts are formed, and serves the two-fold purpose of a guard to the looking plates to stiffen and brace the top, and likewise stiffen and brace the turned-over portions, and to form hand-grips for the crate. By this simple means all of the locking mechanism except the projecting portion of the lever 53 is concealed, and protected by the guard 57.

When the device is arranged in folded po-' sition as shown in Fig. 4, the terminals of the forked portions 50'-51 project through the apertures 36 of the projecting terminals 34 of the straps 33, and thus serve to lock the parts in closed relations.

By this simple arrangement it will be obvious that a simply constructed folding crate is produced, w ich may be employed for shipping various commodities, and returned to the shipper in folded condition when empty.

What I claim is:

1. A folding crate includin a bottom,

- sides, and ends hingedly unite to the bottom, and a top bent at its edges into an upwardly directed and downwardl opening rim for hearing over the upper e ges of the sides and ends, the lower e ge of said rim being further directed inwardly and bearin against the sides and ends and forming a horizontally extending hand rip entirely around the top and directef outwardly therefrom.

2. A folding crate includin" a bottom, sides, and ends hingedly united to the bottom, a top bent at its edges into an upwardly directed and downwardl rim for bearing over the upper e es of the sides and ends, said rim and en s having registering apertures bolts slidable upon said top and passing through said apertures, a lever pivoted to said top and likewise pivotally connected respectively to said bolts, and a guard connected to said to and bearing over said bolts, said guar being extended at the ends around the rim of the top and beneath the same to form hand supports for the top.

In testimon whereof, I aflix my signature in presence 0 two witnesses.

RUBEN L. PICKERING. [11. 8.]

Witnesses:

H. W. KNIGHT, M. P. HANNA.

opening 

